An open letter to my Teachers

Dear Teachers,

If you have ever taught me something this letter is for you. All I want to express is gratitude through this letter on such an auspicious occasion of Guru Purnima or Teacher's Day. Being a teacher is a tough job and being a teacher to a student like me is not an easy task at all. However, you have done your best to make me the person I am today. I don't know how successful I have become in making you proud or happy but your presence in my life has given me a sense of direction. You have influenced me so much that now I am on a path similar as yours; I have started teaching and mentoring students. And it is now that I realise even more how important it is to be a part of a student's learning process and life.

I am grateful to my first teachers, my parents for instilling the joy of learning within me. Parents play a vital role in the learning process. Without proper guidance, support and encouragement learning is always incomplete. Both my parents have invested their time and energies in creating a conducive learning environment for me and my sister. I have observed that some parents push their children too hard to pursue their studies and I have witnessed some do not have enough time for their children. Fortunately my parents have maintained a balance between being too liberal and too strict, being too close and too distant. They have given me love, freedom, understanding and support whenever I needed which is vital for learning and growth.

How can I forget my first teachers in pre-school who helped me adapt to school and classroom systems, the ones who held my hand and taught me write my first alphabet, who introduced me to the fascinating world of digits and the ones who allowed the expressive side of me emerge? I will always be indebted to my teachers who taught me how to read, write, listen and speak in my early years of school life. Without you I would not be writing this in the first place.

There was a time in my life when I lacked confidence. I did not have confidence to speak in public, to write and tell my stories as I can do it now.  I want to express gratitude to the teachers and mentors who always trusted on me. "I see a spark in you; you will reach places and do great things," a teacher once said to me. Similarly there are so many other teachers who have always seen me as a person with potential, ability and credibility to bring positive changes in the society. When teachers and mentors trust you, you trust yourself and you don't want to let them down.

Some teachers taught me the hard way. Great lessons come in difficult situations. Some teachers have a very unusual way of teaching and they are misunderstood at that moment. But later you come to realise why that teacher said such thing to you. Medicines are always bitter and so are good advices. I apologise for taking you wrongly at that moment. You did not want to be popular among the students but show us the right path even if that meant being the disliked. I respect you for being that way.
I am thankful to the teachers, inspirers and motivators who are always present in my life. I may not be always in touch with you but your actions inspire me to do great things.

Every situation, every person that I have come across, the books I have read, the friends I have made, the places I have travelled are all  my teachers.  Nature is my teacher. My students and mentees also inspire me and teach me new things every day. The people I have not met or witnessed through the virtual world have also taught me great lessons. The life that I am living at the moment is my greatest teacher. Every day, every moment I am learning new things and I am grateful for all that.
You might think why I have not mentioned the names of the special people in my life here. It is because there are so many teachers who have taught me till date and I do not want to miss out anybody's name here. But you know who you are and I give you the credit for shaping me into the person I have become.

Now I somewhat understand the challenges of being a teacher. You have to be prepared, patient and giving and most of the times all your efforts go unnoticed. But please don't stop doing your thing. You have the power to gift the light of education and values.

Respectfully yours,

Abhilasha